


Order Within Chaos

by Winged_Cat



Category: Splatoon
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Romance, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-11 14:03:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19929262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winged_Cat/pseuds/Winged_Cat
Summary: After the Splatocalypse results announcement, Marina discovers that she has been fighting for a love that Pearl took for granted.  Pearl's attempts to express it are less than perfect.





	Order Within Chaos

Off the Hook's studio might as well have been the middle of a boiling ocean for all Marina's ability to notice it just then.

"You know I love you."

Her heart beat like a metronome as the memory of Pearl's words echoed in her mind. Shock and delight turned them over, examining them from every angle and finding no sign of a joke or prank. Pearl...really, truly...

"MEENA!" And then Pearl's actual voice shook Marina's body to the core. Even unaugmented, Pearl's voice was a weapon. Augmented...well, the final Shifty Station had displayed that for all of Inkopolis to see.

"Don't...call me that..." Marina heard her rote response as if her body was a puppet, and her trapped within. Her mind slowly returned to the present, especially once she recognized Pearl's worried expression.

"You alright, 'Rina?" Pearl waved a hand in front of Marina's eyes. "You've been spacing out since the broadcast."

"I...I'm fine," Marina lied. "It's just...what you said after the results..."

Pearl's concern evaporated in a blink. "You agreed! Whoever won, their word was law. We're breaking into new genres, and that's final!"

Marina shook her head. "N...no, not that. After that."

Pearl backed up a step, her crown briefly popping off only to land back in place. It only did that when Pearl was startled; Marina wondered how it managed to never fall off completely. "My solo career? That was a joke, Marina!"

Marina's shock was beginning to subside, reality returning. She could deal with this. "After that."

Pearl blinked, reeling through their conversation. "Me and you against...no, that can't be it...wait. Wait wait." Her eyes widened a bit. "You DO know I love you, don't you?"

The room must have been abruptly gently flooded. That was why Marina's vision was suddenly blurry, and her eyes and cheeks warm.

Pearl's eyes grew wider. "Carp! I forgot! I was gonna do this on your birthday, but I was having such a blast with you!" The slightly older but shorter inkling seized Marina's hand and pulled her through a door into a back corridor, out of public view, kicking the door closed afterward for good measure.

Marina had nearly stumbled under Pearl's sudden tug, righting herself as Pearl secured their privacy. "If this is just about a missing birthday present..."

"That's the day you turned legal," Pearl interrupted. "Marina. Listen up because I have something very important to tell you."

Marina bit back a sarcastic response about what sort of "legal" Pearl suddenly cared about.

Pearl clasped both of Marina's hands in her own and knelt. "Marina." She tilted her head up, locking eyes. "Like the sea loves to spray, like the salmonids love their eggs, I love you. I want to be with you until our inks run dry, and then share what's left as long as we can. I want to keep Off the Hook going as long as we can, but even if we ever stop making music, I...I still want to be with you. I know you say money's important but I'd trade my inheritance just to be by your side one more day." Tears begin to flow. "You're who I dream of. I fought so hard in that Splatfest to keep what we have."

Marina felt her jaw fall open. Keeping what they had was why Marina fought. But...to stay the same was Order, and the Splatfest had been Chaos vs. Order...apparently Pearl thought she had a Chaos that she wanted to keep.

Pearl stood up. "I love you. I love you. I LOVE YOU!" She got up on tiptoes, her face approaching Marina's...

* * *

Marina regained consciousness to the sound of Pearl's blubbering wail. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry please be okay I'm such an idiot Marina please be okay!"

Marina stretched out her new limbs, the familiar shallow fluidity of a spawn point beneath her telling her where she was before she opened her new eyes. Sure enough, Pearl was bawling her heart out, having brought Marina to the emergency respawn pool at the back of their studio. "Pearl," Marina tried to reassure her.

But Pearl was apparently not hearing. "I'm so stupid! I should have remembered that raising my voice that much would splat you! Cod, you probably hate me! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm so-o-orry!"

Marina opened her mouth to phrase another reply, but stopped short. Her mind flashed to her training as a mechanic: if one input does not work, try another. So, instead, she leaned forward and planted her lips on Pearl's.

Pearl stopped crying instantly, her pupils slowly dilating.

Marina broke off the kiss with a smile. "You didn't splat me. I splatted myself. I just fainted, that's all."

Pearl's mouth worked - but for once, just for an instant, her voice failed her, whatever she was going to say coming out as a tiny squeak.

"I love you too, Pearl. But you know that." Marina leaned forward for another, longer kiss.

And nothing further was said for nearly two hours, until shortly before the next broadcast. Nothing further needed saying.


End file.
